Various entities seek to regulate the operations of businesses and other organizations. For example, federal, state, county, and local governments enact statutes, promulgate administrative regulations, and publish regulatory directives and guidance; counterparties to contracts impose contractual obligations; standards bodies adopt standards; technology vendors publish documentation detailing how their products should be used; and organizations establish rules for their own operation.
Documents that seek to regulate the operation of an organization are sometimes called authority documents. They contain mandates, which each direct the organization to take a particular action.
Organizations often seek to comply with authority documents that are relevant to their operations, by (1) understanding their mandates, (2) taking the action needed to satisfy the mandates, and (3) documenting this action and its connection to the mandate. These compliance efforts help an organization's leaders determine whether the organization is behaving responsibly. Compliance efforts also help an organization respond promptly and successfully to auditing or enforcement actions by an external party.